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The coming Internet of Things revolution will see billions of devices, from fridges to traffic lights, connected and controllable from afar.
For Kevin Ashton, the tech entrepreneur and visionary who coined the term ‘Internet of Things’, the risk of devices being hijacked is exponentially greater than any cybersecurity threat we’ve encountered before.
“You can change the real world using the Internet of Things,” explains Ashton, who was in New Zealand last week to address the GS1 eCommerce Innovation Summit.
“If you are malicious, it isn't just about taking all the money out of someone's bank account. You can flip cars, you can shut down power stations, you can potentially make things explode.
“You could kill people with an Internet of Things security breach, which is not something you can do with a web page or data security breach.”
The warning signs have been there for years. In 2016, 230,000 Ukrainians were left in the dark when hackers took control of power network infrastructure, shutting down 30 power substations in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of the country. It was the first confirmed hack of a power grid.
That same year, a massive denial of service attack temporarily took Netflix, Amazon and Paypal and other popular web services offline, when hundreds of thousands of insecure routers and web cameras mainly in South America and South East Asia were hijacked to send massive amounts of internet traffic to the web servers on which those services rely.
The Mirai attack as it became known, wasn’t the work of a shadowy group of hardened cybercriminals, but three young computer programmers in the US who wanted to gain an advantage against their competitors in the massive online game Minecraft.
They scanned the internet for IoT devices that still had the manufacturer’s default settings and passwords and took control of them to create a botnet of devices to launch their attack.
Read more: How to not get hacked
“The Mirai botnet attack wasn’t overly sophisticated, however, was a smart and very calculated attempt at exploiting basic security flaws of connected devices,” says Tim Falinski, Asia Pacific senior director of the consumer division for security software maker Trend Micro.
The company has identified recycled code from the Mirai attack being used in the last year to target internet routers.
“This shows that the potential for this type of attack to happen again still exists especially if consumers overlook basic, yet crucial IoT security practices including changing the default passwords of their devices and securing their routers,” adds Falinski.
Trend Micro recently found that 42 per cent of router security incidents last year related to consumers not changing the default password on their router, reinforcing the importance of getting the basics right to bolster IoT security.
Beyond the barcode
It was a simpler world when UK-born Ashton first got involved in wireless communications over 20 years ago when he was a brand manager at Procter & Gamble.
Ashton was looking for ways to make the massive US consumer goods maker’s supply chain more efficient. Barcode scanners were widely used to identify packages as they journeyed down conveyor belts in factories.
But what if you didn’t have to see every single product that was being shipped, instantly identifying every item wrapped up in a pallet-load of products? The search for a better system led Ashton to Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he co-founded the Auto-ID Centre, to research sensor technology.
The centre’s goal was to create open standards to spur uptake of a fledgling technology called RFID (radio-frequency identification). It involved building small RFID tags or labels that could communicate information to a reader over the radio waves.
RFID is now widely used in supply chains and powers swipe card access to buildings and automatic identification at toll gates all over the world. The price of an RFID tag has dropped to below 5c each making it much more affordable and the read speeds of the tags has increased dramatically.
“What the likes of Amazon.com have been able to do is use automatic identification systems, sometimes using RFID, to massively speed up their supply chain and become a serious competitive threat to other retailers,” says Ashton.
But RFID was invented before the internet and cloud computing became all-pervasive. Ashton sees the Internet of Things as being its logical successor, where data is instantly transmitted to a cloud server rather than primarily between a radio tag and its reader.
Alexa is listening
The potential is endless and already we are seeing IoT proliferate in our homes. My Amazon Echo smart speaker can control the Nest security camera in my home as well as adjust the brightness of my Philips Hue lightbulbs.
Hundreds of companies are working to make their consumer electronics devices compatible so they can exist in the same IoT world, with control of all of them a voice command or finger swipe away. Ashton himself went on to found Zensi, a company making wireless sensors for monitoring electrical power, water, and natural gas. Zensi was sold to consumer electronics company Belkin in 2010.
Read more: Why concerns about smart speakers are real
Ashton takes a pragmatic stance on IoT device security.
“It's kind of a solved problem at the technical level. We know how to make these networks secure,” he says.
The real issue is what he describes as the 'old white man problem’ in many of the companies that are building and implementing IoT devices.
Senior managers often had an old-fashioned view of security and were reluctant to invest sufficiently to prevent cyber attacks they didn't regard as making their core IT systems vulnerable.
“Security isn't a one-time thing, security is every day,” he says.
“The policies and plans you need to keep your security updated can feel burdensome. It can feel like some of the risks you are guarding against are so unlikely that it's not worth the investment of time and money to guard against them.”
It means there’s a wide range of firmware and operating systems running on IoT devices, with security approaches varying across the board. For consumers picking up a smart speaker or buying an internet-enabled smart TV or washing machine, the security question is often lost on them.
“The most glaring IoT security concern currently is the misconception around what exactly a ‘connected’ device is amongst consumers,” says Falinski.
“Without having this understanding, consumers don’t have a comprehensive view of their network and aren’t taking all the necessary measures to protect their devices from cyber threats and cybercriminals.”
Ashton fears that it will take a truly major incident involving a failure of IoT security to force any change in the industry. But he has another concern: a lack of transparency around how data collected by the new wave of consumer IoT devices is stored and used.
“Your Echo is listening to you all the time. There might not be anything spooky or malicious about that, they are trying to improve the product,” he says.
“But if the government decides you might have committed a crime and they find out you have an Amazon Echo in your home or a Nest thermostat that knows when you came home, they may try to subpoena that information.”
“The more you put these things in your house, the more data will be collected.”
He wants to see simpler end-user agreements and labelling letting consumers know what security is being applied to their IoT devices and how the data generated by them is being used.
“Just as you have a nutrition label on foods now, there needs to be an equivalent for privacy and security on high-tech devices,” argues Ashton.
“You'd have a consumer with a product in one hand and a product in the other and be comparing what is this thing going to do to me. Then the free market gets to operate because consumers have enough comprehensible information in advance of making the purchase.”
5G bandwidth explosion
If the hype is to be believed, 5G or fifth generation mobile phone networks, set to arrive in New Zealand from the middle of next year, will fuel an explosion in the proliferation of Internet of Things devices.
But Ashton says existing 4G networks can adequately connect IoT devices, which by nature are “bursty” - they don’t require a steady stream of data transfer, but instead send small bursts to update the status of a device.
“If you want to watch an 8K video on your iPad while you are on the bus, 5G will be great for you,” he points out.
“The principal benefits of 5G are more efficient spectrum utilisation and lower latency, higher bandwidth delivery of data. None of that is relevant to the Internet of Things particularly.”
Falinski says that the low latency of these networks will mean denial of service attacks through to crypto mining and phishing attacks will spread more quickly if the right security isn’t in place.
“The 5G infrastructure is being built with security in mind, however if an attack did happen, the low latency of the network could mean that cybercriminals can operate faster and gain access to sensitive information instantaneously.”
The greater availability of bandwidth these networks enable will also serve to change the economics of supplying network connectivity to an increasing number of devices. A few years ago, connecting a smart meter in your home to monitor your electricity use required the device having its own data plan, even if it was only sending tiny amounts of data each day.
“Most cellphone operators have now moved to unlimited data plans as an option,” says Ashton.
“The technology has changed to make bandwidth less of a premium than it used to be. 5G is absolutely going to accelerate that.”
Data plans would be redesigned to cover all of the 5G-connected devices in your home and increasingly in your car as we move towards the introduction of autonomous vehicles.
Smart city security threat
But the real revolution in IoT won’t take hold in the home first, says Ashton. It will happen with infrastructure that makes up so-called smart cities.
When sensors are on every lamp post, IoT controllers in every electricity substation and sewerage treatment plant, the Internet of Things could serve to make the running of cities far more efficient.
But it also poses the most serious security threat as infrastructure becomes more networked and vulnerable to cyber attack.
A focus on security will be “of paramount importance,” says Ashton and can’t be left up to solely to industry to deliver. Governments would have to set the ground rules as IoT devices increasingly controlled the physical world.
“Unfortunately a lot of these regulatory decisions tend to be made by people who don't thoroughly understand the technology and they are very vulnerable to lobbyists,” he warns.
“You need to take the business case off the table by regulating for it.”


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San Jose To Be Electric Car CapitalPosted on: 19 September 2008 by Gareth Hargreaves
San Jose is aiming to be the capital of clean car technology following a $250m (£139m) deal with electric car maker Tesla to base its new factory in California.
The battery-powered Model S sedan will be produced at a 600,000-square foot plant, built alongside a company headquarters in San Jose. The all-electric luxury sedan will have a retail price of around $60,000 (£33,000).
Tesla already manufactures a two-seater zero emission Roadster which sells for $109,000 (£61,000) and is built by Lotus in England.
Tesla’s boss Ze’ev Drori hopes to deliver its first cars by 2010. They will have a range of about 240 miles per battery charge. The production run is set for around 15,000 vehicles initially, with half of the line being sold in Europe.
“This is proof the time has come for the electric car,” says Drori.
"This car signals an end to dependency on foreign oil. The summer of high gas prices has accelerated demand for such a vehicle."
San Jose’s major Chuck Reed agrees with Drori.
“This is a big step towards being the centre of world cleantech innovation.”
"This is the next step in transportation. Shifting from petroleum to electric vehicles will make a huge change to how the world moves and we are excited to be part of that happening."
Analysts however believe Tesla will face a tough challenge with its five-seater sedan, especially from GM's Volt, which was unveiled this week. Tesla’s electric sedan will be a tough sell alongside the Volt which will cost around $35,000 (£19,500).
Mayor Reed says that San Jose, which is said to have America's highest per-capita concentration of hybrid cars, is aggressively encouraging cleantech companies to the area.
"San Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley, which offers the best opportunities because it is right here where the innovation is happening. It is important for Tesla to be close to that innovation and this is a big boost for us."
Tesla's Mr Drori said his business represents the beginning of a burgeoning growth sector.
"Cleantech is a completely new paradigm and what we are doing represents a major seismic shift. That's the reason we chose San Jose and we will lead this charge."
With plenty of electrical cars hitting the global markets in the next six months, would you consider selling your diesel or petrol motor for a hybrid vehicle?
Let us know by leaving a comment in the box below. Alternatively, share your thoughts in the 50connect forums.
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Probiotics here to stay
Probiotics are gaining in public popularity and are not just a
health fad, according to Australian researchers.
Organic programme to improve awareness
US organic company Horizon Organic Holding Corp. this week
announced the creation of the Organic Agriculture Project (OAP), a
project designed to promote the benefits of organic agriculture.
Consumers ask for stricter GM labelling rules
Greenpeace delivered more than 10,000 postcards to the Thai
government urging tougher labelling requirements for genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) in food.
Thai health food looks to the West
Thai health food company Nutri Care Foods Co Ltd has its sights set
on the international market, the company told a press conference on
Phytochemicals focus of conference
Scientists in the UK this week discussed the latest research into
phytochemicals, at a 3-day conference in Norwich, England.
Omega enriched lamb roast?
In the near future the sizzling Sunday roast could also be a major
source of health-enhancing polyunsaturated fats, Australian
researchers reveal this week.
Food supplements - EU harmonisation draws closer
Diverging legislation in Europe relating to food supplements came
closer towards harmonisation on Thursday when the European Council
agreed the proposed Directive on Food Supplements.
Increase in consumer's awareness of soy
The United Soybean Board (USB) released data from their annual
survey showing that Americans changing their eating habits due to
health and nutrition concerns has risen dramatically to 72 per
Symposium on GMOs risks and benefits
AFSSA, the French Agency of medical security of food to organise a
symposium entitled "GMO & food: can health benefits be
Dentists warn patients over herbals
Alternative medicine has become an increasingly popular component
of mainstream health care, including dentistry.
Spinach offers hope for AMD sufferers
Spinach may help restore sight in people who are legally blind, US
researchers reveal this week. Scientists at the Department of
Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are investigating whether a
protein from spinach could replace...
STAR™ increases bioavailability of probiotics
The Institut Rosell-Lallemand was awarded this week the 2001 Market
Engineering Technology Leadership Award for its new enteric coating
Gov role key in nutraceuticals market
Americans possess a growing awareness of the link between nutrition
and health, as government committees become increasingly attentive
to nutraceutical product claims and potential regulations.
EFAs - essential for mother's and foetus' health
According to an expert on dietary fats and oils, pregnant and
nursing women must maintain diets rich in essential fatty acids to
help avoid certain emotional and physical health problems for
themselves and their babies.
Whey could prevent cancer - study suggests
While a balanced diet as recommended by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid
may help in the prevention of cancer, whey protein is being proven
in clinical studies to be a powerful assistant in cancer prevention


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The size of Pakistan’s e-commerce sector is expected to cross the $1-billion mark in fiscal year 2017 coveted-18, this surprising development is disclosed by an industry official.
The increase in broadband penetration along with a rise in the number of online payment merchants, the six-month data of the central bank indicates that Pakistan will cross the threshold in FY18.
Pakistan’s E-Commerce Market will Cross $1Billion
Strong growth during the current fiscal year will push annual sales beyond $1 billion said by Adam Dawood, head of Yayvo, the online shopping portal that is part of TCS E-COM (Pvt.).
Adam Dawood also said that:
If we believe that 85% of the market is based on cash on delivery (COD) payments, then the fact that we have already achieved Rs9.3 billion of prepayment sales within the first six months of FY18 puts us on a fairly easy course to hit $1 billion in e-commerce sales this year. According to market practices more than four out of five orders have been reported to be cash on delivery. Based on this assumption, total e-commerce sales during the first two quarters have already reached Rs65.3 billion. Data of the last seven quarters shows that total volume of e-commerce sales has risen every quarter except for the second quarter of the current financial year. Assuming the trend stays the same we are sure to cross $1 billion in sales
During the previous fiscal year prepayment sales amounted to Rs9.8 billion. According to the Payment System Review published by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), during the first half of the current fiscal, sales of Rs9.3 billion have been made.
Mr. Dawood stated that the cash on delivery mechanism is a major blessing for the e-commerce sector. We have more than five online payment gateways and our logistics companies can reach practically every Pakistani and offer them products through COD.
He also said that the number of online payment merchants the Broadband penetration have both witnessed a massive increase within the year. Number of subscriptions has increased from 44.5 million to 52 million subscribers while the number of merchants has gone up from 571 to 905 by January.


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The 2024 Ford Ranger represents one of the company’s new or refreshed products that have or are on their way this year. As Ford Authority previously reported, the all-new model brings a host of new upgrades for the new generation, including the 2.7L V6 EcoBoost and the Raptor, which will be sold in North America for the first time. Now, photographers have spotted a 2024 Ford Ranger XL cruising around on public roads.
This particular 2024 Ford Ranger XL is painted in Cactus Gray and it’s got a bedcap, although it’s not currently clear if it will be sold or offered by the company, as it is not an option at this point in time. This pickup is also interesting given the integrated side box step, which is an optional on XLT and Lariat at this point in time. What’s isn’t optional is the STX Appearance Package, now standard on every XL pickup. The package includes an STX fender badge, 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, dampened tailgate, LED headlamps, halogen fog lamps, and premium cloth seats.
Inside, the 2024 Ford Ranger gets a host of modern upgrades, not the least of which is the standard 10-inch Sync 4A center touchscreen. The new system replaces Sync 3 and adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability to the entire lineup. Additionally, all Ranger pickups will get digital instrument clusters, with an eight-inch unit standard on XL trucks. A ton of convivences features are now standard too, including automatic high beam headlamps, remote keyless entry with remote tailgate lock functionality, lane-keeping aid, and post-collision braking.
The 2024 Ford Ranger is now available to order, and while the lineup gets more expensive, it has gained notable tech and features as standard equipment. The Ranger Raptor features the 3.0L V6 EcoBoost exclusively and also has some other exclusive options, like the new Shelter Green Metallic paint. The all-new Ranger will arrive at U.S. dealers later this year.


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Recession could be over in Thames Valley
Wed 27 January 2010, 12:46 pm
The region is on the brink of leaving the recession, according to the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The groupís latest economic survey for the last quarter of 2009 has shown modest growth, which the chamber says must be supported by the government.(Sourced from the Reading Post.)
In the manufacturing sector there was an increase in export sales, export advance orders and profitability since the last quarter, with UK sales and advance orders remaining constant.
Annual turnover also improved and cash flow remained stable.
The key concerns for the manufacturing sector were exchange rates and inflation, with raw material prices cited as the primary concern.
Businesses in the service sector also reported improvements and noted a high level of staff had been recruited without difficulty.
Claire Prosser, policy executive for the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group, said: “These results contain some very positive features, notably the improvements in export sales and export advance orders."
To read the full story click here


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'Honor Vision' smart screen unveiled; check features here
'Honor Vision' smart screen has been unveiled at the India Mobile Congress today. Honor Vision features the 'Honghu 818' intelligent display chipset by HiSilicon along with AI Camera NPU Chipset and a flagship-level WiFi Chipset.
'Honor Vision' smart screen has been unveiled at the India Mobile Congress today. Honor Vision features the 'Honghu 818' intelligent display chipset by HiSilicon along with AI Camera NPU Chipset and a flagship-level WiFi Chipset. The company has equipped Honor Vision with a smart AI-enabled pop-up camera, which enables NPU capability for face recognition, bringing powerful functions and a superior experience for users. Honor Vision is expected to be launched in India in Q1 2020.
It also supports multi-device connection and allows users to make video calls using the built-in AI pop-up camera. A low latency device, Honor Smart Vision is a true fit for the smart homes allowing users to connect and switch on the lights, control the curtains, dim the lights and so on, making their daily lives convenient.
Speaking at the event, Charles Peng, President, Honor India said," We are delighted to unveil the Honor Vision smart screen in India. As a part of our long-term commitment towards India, we are working towards creating a larger ecosystem of products that can fulfill the aspirations of the discerning Indian consumer. We look forward to making Honor Vision available for the consumers soon and have them experience the future of television."
Honor Smart Vision is equipped with a 55-inch display, 6.9 mm thickness and a 94% screen-to-body ratio to provide users. Honor Vision is not only an entertainment center but also a multi-device interaction center, a content sharing platform, and a smart device management and control center. It features a 4K HDR display with a wide color gamut, a 178 degrees wide viewing angle and is equipped with 6' 10 Watt speakers.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


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NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO), the Commerce Media company, today announced that Megan Clarken, CEO, and Sarah Glickman, CFO, will present at the UBS Global TMT Conference on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time.
A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available at that time on the Event section of the Company's investor relations website at https://criteo.investorroom.com/. A replay of the presentation will subsequently be available.
Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global commerce media company that enables marketers and media owners to drive better commerce outcomes. Its industry leading Commerce Media Platform connects 22,000 marketers and thousands of media owners to deliver richer consumer experiences from product discovery to purchase. By powering trusted and impactful advertising, Criteo supports an open internet that encourages discovery, innovation, and choice. For more information, please visit www.criteo.com.
Criteo Investor Relations
Melanie Dambre, email@example.com
Criteo Public Relations
Jessica Meyers, firstname.lastname@example.org
SOURCE Criteo S.A.


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ALGIERS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A consumer rights association in Algeria launched a campaign to boycott red and white meat in protest of soaring prices, especially during the fasting month of Ramadan.
The boycott is set to last a week, said Chief Executive of Algerian Consumer Federation Mohamed Toumi, initiator of the campaign.
"After the boycott call of red and white meat between July 10 and 16, we intend to launch another boycott campaign to target other soaring-price products, such as zucchini and dried vegetables such as chickpeas," Toumi told Xinhua.
Turnout of the first boycott was around 30 percent, Toumi estimated, but his federation aims to hit 50 or 60 percent turnout in the second boycott campaign to be launched next week.
Currently, chicken is sold at 350 to 400 Algerian Dinars (4.2 to 4.8 U.S. dollars) per kilo, compared to 200 Dinars (2.4 dollars) a week earlier. Mutton and beef are sold at 1100 Dinars (13.2 dollars) to 1500 Dinars (18 dollars) per kilo, beyond the reach of the North African country's middle class.
As for vegetables, tomatoes are sold at 80 Dinars (0.96 dollars) , doubled the price of last week. Zucchini is sold at 120 Dinars ( 1.44 dollars) per kilo, compared to 50 Dinars (0.6 dollars) a week earlier.
Toumi said the price-soaring in Ramadan is mostly due to the " absence of public authorities" which are supposed to prevent food prices from going too far.
He also slammed go-between sellers who speculate on prices. " Stockbreeders told us that their prices are set between 400 and 500 Dinars per kilogram of meat. Yet, at the butchery, this same meat is offered at more than 800 Dinars."
"The problem lies in the lack of market regulation," Mohand Amokrane Nouad, expert on agriculture and agro-food, told Xinhua.
However, Nouad cast doubt on the efficiency of the boycott. " Such a boycott campaign could only be efficient when it is initiated by an association that represents the population, but I' m afraid that is not the case with the so-called Algerian Consumer Federation," which was registered late November 2011.
In an attempt to curb high prices during Ramadan, Algerian government has authorized public and private operators to import some 10,000 tons of frozen red and white meat, to be added to 10, 000 tons of meat already stocked.
A report issued by the Customs' National Office of Statistics ( ONS) shows that consumer prices in Algeria increased by 8.7 percent in June, compared with the same period in 2011, resulting in an annual inflation rate of 7.3 percent compared to 6.9 percent in May. The increase was mainly driven by the 10.76-percent rise of food prices.


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Ringier Africa, a leading diversified digital media company in Africa and One Africa Media (OAM), one of Africa’s largest digital publishers have announced the merger of their pan-African classifieds assets to form Africa’s largest classifieds group.
Known as Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM), this new group will comprise some of the continent’s leading homegrown brands, including OAM’s Jobberman, Brighter Monday, Cheki, BuyRent Kenya & PrivateProperty Nigeria and Ringier Africa’s Expat-Dakar, ZoomTanzania & PigiaMe.
This explains why the Group is claimed to be Africa’s largest classifieds group.
ROAM, whose acting CEO is Justin Clarke, is strategically positioned to lead the marketplace’s double digit growth, covering both vertical – car, real estate and jobs – and horizontal classifieds businesses.
“We have been looking for the right strategic partner with a similar broad vision for classifieds in Africa and who has a deep understanding of how things work in this complex continent as well as the long term commitment to stay the distance in some very large but early stage markets,” Justin said in a press release.
He added, “We have known Ringier Africa for many years as we have both pioneered these markets in parallel and are really excited to be joining hands at last. The synergies are huge and we fit so well together.”
The new joint venture will enable the creation of nation-wide synergetic classifieds systems allowing for improved user experience and much improved audience reach across currently six African countries in three strategic regions: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal.
The existing shareholders of both companies have committed to continue to significantly invest into the JV to build out its market leadership.
Ringier Africa GM, Leonard Stiegeler said, “The joint focus of ROAM will be to serve its users across Africa with best-in-class marketplace platforms. Combining the group’s strengths will help our users reach a larger audience with their offers and find what they are looking for easier and faster.”


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Banks and retailers in the United States and Canada have begun to report an increasing amount of illicit transactions thought to be linked to the server breach announced last week by the TJX Companies, the commercial giant that owns retail chains in the US, Canada, and Europe.
More than 60 of the 205 banks in Massachusetts have begun reissuing cards after being contacted by credit card companies about compromised cards, the Massachusetts Bankers Association stated this week. However, only half of the state's banks have reported in to the group. The transactions have occurred in at least three states, as well as Hong Kong and Sweden, the MBA said in statement.
The group warned consumers that credit card and bank fraud does not necessarily mean the data thieves have stolen someone's identity.
"The two can be related but, thankfully, most often they are separate and distinct," MBA president and CEO Daniel Forte said. "Be vigilant and don't give thieves any more information to make ID theft more of a risk."
Last week, the TJX Companies announced that the firm had suffered an unauthorised intrusion into its "computer systems that process and store information related to customer transactions". TJX declined to mention the scope of its breach, but said the unauthorised intruder accessed TJX's computer systems for its T J Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and A J Wright stores in the US and Puerto Rico, and its Winners and HomeSense stores in Canada.
In Vermont, one bank had to reissue cards to 1,600 customers because of the compromise, according to the Associated Press. In Canada, thousands of customer who shopped at Winners and HomeSense stores have become the victims of fraud, according to news reports.
With many states passing breach notification laws, such privacy-affecting pronouncements have become a regular part of corporate news in 2005 and 2006, but in many cases no link is made between the breach and subsequent data fraud.
In December, the University of California, Los Angeles, warned that a server containing information on about 800,000 students, faculty members, and workers had been exposed by a compromise. Also last year, the US Department of Veterans Affairs warned that a laptop containing names, addresses, and social-security numbers of nearly every soldier and sailor in the armed forces had been stolen. The laptop was later recovered.
Historically, such breaches have not led to provable fraud, according to analyst firm Javelin Strategy & Research, which surveys the victims of identity fraud annually. In an analysis released in August, the firm found that only six per cent of all identity fraud - defined as someone using the victim's accounts or creating new accounts in the victim's name - where the source could be identified resulted from a breach. Looked at another way, only 0.8 per cent of those alerted of a breach actually became the victims of fraud, said Bruce Cundiff, senior analyst with Javelin Strategy & Research.
Even so, the cost of cleaning up a breach is enormous and, to a large extent, shouldered by the banks.
"It makes sense that the banks are crying foul because the banks have to foot the bill," Cundiff said. "There is an uproar among banks, saying that - through no fault of our own - we have to pay to fix this."
However, the latest epidemic of fraud could change that, if legislation is passed forcing credit-card companies to reveal the source of the fraud. The incident comes just weeks after the Democratic Party formed the majority party in Congress and could lend impetus to their efforts to rewrite consumer credit protection laws and breach notification statutes.
"I learned of the latest data breach from a financial institution that may have to bear the costs of informing customers and issuing new credit cards but they were not told why," Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, said in a statement following the announcement of the TJX breach last week. "This is further evidence of the need for a provision that Democrats pushed for in last year's debate over data security. Mainly, those institutions where breaches have occurred must be identified and they must bear responsibility."
It's a change that banks are looking forward to as well, Forte said in the MBA's statement.
"It is critical that the card associations - Visa, Mastercard, etc. - and public officials carefully evaluate whether the source of the breach should be identified quickly and be held liable for a data breach, particularly if the information being stored is in violation of card-network rules," Forte stated, noting that banks typically shoulder the burden of paying for replacement cards.
The TJX Companies stock price fell $0.40, or about 1.3 per cent, by midday on Friday.
The article was updated at 2:30 p.m. PST to include a comment from Bruce Cundiff, senior analyst with Javelin Strategy & Research. The article was originally published at 9 a.m. PST.
This article originally appeared in Security Focus.
Copyright © 2007, SecurityFocus


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The comparison of WeWork to AWS shouldn’t be taken too far, because software is different. Look no further than Cloudflare’s IPO. Plus, leadership matters.
More on Shopify, including why I was reluctant to cover the previously, but now see the promise of the Internet in their model. Then, why I’m excited about being uncertain, and how Redfin and Opendoor’s partnership helps define the market in home-buying.
It is all but impossible to beat an Aggregator head-on, as Walmart is trying to do with Amazon. The solution instead is to build a platform like Shopify.
It is hard to see *The Office* being a good deal for NBCUniversal, even if Netflix will miss it. Then, Netflix’s budget consciousness is just as likely to be a sign of Netflix power than it is weakness, and more reasons why Spotify isn’t Netflix.
Libra is less about an immediate benefit to Facebook, and more about creating a world where companies like Facebook have the best chance to prosper. That is why Facebook gave up so much control.
A review of the potential antitrust cases against Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon suggests that only Google is vulnerable.
Airbnb is eliminating fees for guests, a change that is both overdue and also additional evidence that the company has been moving too slowly to secure its Aggregator position.
A response to The Problem with Ben Thompson’s ‘Aggregation Theory’, and why the Internet really is different (this Daily Update is freely accessible)
At Google I/O, Google was the opposite of defensive: the company set out to make the case that its approach made for better products that makes people’s lives better
More on why giving information to investors often helps companies, then why Luminary, a new service for podcasters, is probably not going to succeed. Building bundles is hard!


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Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) Receives $90.33 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) has received a consensus rating of “Buy” from the eighteen analysts that are covering the firm. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and thirteen have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $90.33.
WBA has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Robert W. Baird restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $95.00 price target on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Tuesday, October 4th. Wells Fargo & Co. initiated coverage on Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Monday, October 31st. They issued an “outperform” rating for the company. Leerink Swann restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $95.00 price target on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Monday, September 19th. Deutsche Bank AG restated a “buy” rating and issued a $94.00 price target on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Wednesday, September 28th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Walgreens Boots Alliance from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $90.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, October 3rd.
In other Walgreens Boots Alliance news, EVP Kathleen Wilson-Thompson sold 23,996 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.00, for a total value of $2,039,660.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director William C. Foote sold 2,067 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.30, for a total value of $168,047.10. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 24,623 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,001,849.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 21.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Jolley Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance by 104.5% in the second quarter. Jolley Asset Management LLC now owns 1,370 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $114,000 after buying an additional 700 shares during the period. Westbourne Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance during the second quarter worth approximately $121,000. Hudock Capital Group LLC increased its stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance by 0.4% in the third quarter. Hudock Capital Group LLC now owns 1,641 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $132,000 after buying an additional 7 shares during the period. Parasol Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance by 3.5% in the third quarter. Parasol Investment Management LLC now owns 1,787 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $144,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period. Finally, Cribstone Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Walgreens Boots Alliance during the second quarter worth approximately $149,000. 60.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) opened at 83.27 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $90.20 billion, a PE ratio of 21.80 and a beta of 1.19. Walgreens Boots Alliance has a one year low of $71.50 and a one year high of $87.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $80.84 and its 200-day moving average is $80.96.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 20th. The pharmacy operator reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.08. The firm earned $28.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $29.06 billion. Walgreens Boots Alliance had a return on equity of 16.33% and a net margin of 3.56%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.88 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Walgreens Boots Alliance will post $5.01 earnings per share for the current year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 17th will be issued a $0.375 dividend. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.80%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 15th. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s dividend payout ratio is presently 39.27%.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Company Profile
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc (Walgreens Boots Alliance) is a holding company. The Company is a global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Walgreens Boots Alliance operates through three divisions, including Retail Pharmacy USA, Retail Pharmacy International and Pharmaceutical Wholesale. The Company’s products are marketed under a number of brands, which include No7, the Botanics range, Almus (generic medicines), Boots Pharmaceuticals and Soap & Glory (bathing and beauty brand).
Receive News & Stock Ratings for Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and related stocks with our FREE daily email newsletter.


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Nokia Lumia phones have been on the focus of investors for months, and it may be the ultimate decider whether the company is able to maintain its recovery. Nokia Corporation reported profits last quarter after a string of quarterly losses. The company said it would suspend dividends as it continues the recovery process.
In a report issued to investors this morning, analysts at Nomura said although sales of Nokia Lumia phones’ are growing, it is still too early to know if the Windows 8 platform can nab 5, 10 or even 20 percent of the market share. They emphasize that while it is feasible for Windows to grab 15 percent of the smartphone market share, which would be a significant increase from its 3 percent market share in 2012, there is little data to support that suggestion.
At this year's annual Robin Hood conference, which was held virtually, the founder of the world's largest hedge fund, Ray Dalio, talked about asset bubbles and how investors could detect as well as deal with bubbles in the marketplace. Q1 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more Dalio believes that by studying past market cycles Read More
They said stronger traction is essential for Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) (BIT:NOK1V) (HEL:NOK1V) to boost confidence in investors and drive its stock price up. The Nomura analysts said Nokia Lumia is the key to a potential upside of $8.19 per share if it does well. However, if it doesn’t do well, then the Nokia Lumia could be responsible for a downside risk of $3.63 per share.
In order for Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) (BIT:NOK1V) (HEL:NOK1V) to be successful with its Nokia Lumia Windows 8 smartphone line, Nomura analysts say, Windows phones must take 15 percent of the smartphone market by 2014, and Nokia must take 55 percent of the Windows phone market. They said they also believe the company’s gross margins on its smartphones must rise to 24 percent in order to see the upside.
Shares of Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) (BIT:NOK1V) (HEL:NOK1V) are down almost 3 percent in New York trading.


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Tabs More Popular Among Women than Men
For the first time, more tablet computers are owned by women in Britain than by men, a new study has found.
The majority of tablet owners in the UK are women, with the share of female owners increasing by 9 percentage points in the past year, researchers said.
The figures for the 2013 survey show that females own 52 per cent of the tablets in the UK, up from 43 per cent in 2012. In the same period the share of tablets owned by men has fallen from 57 to 48 per cent.
YouGov's latest Tablet Tracker report indicates a surge in the number of 18-34 year olds owning tablets with the group growing by seven percentage points over the past year. In 2012, the under-35s made up 19 per cent of the market but this grew to 26 per cent by 2013.
The only age group that has seen a decline in share over the past year is the over-55s, whose proportion of ownership has fallen from 42 to 31 per cent, researchers said.
The more even distribution of ownership across age groups indicates that the UK tablet market is becoming more mainstream, they said.
The study found that 22 per cent of the adult population now own a tablet, up from 18 per cent last quarter. Furthermore, 26 per cent of the UK households own a tablet.
Researchers said the growth in ownership looks set to continue with close to a fifth (19 per cent) of non-tablet owners identified as "hot prospects" to obtain one of the devices in the future.
The report found that over a quarter (27 per cent) of these prospects are aged 18-44 and more than a third (34 per cent) are female.
"The early adopters of tablets have typically been affluent males. As they buy the latest models, they have placed their old devices on to the secondary market or give them to other members of their household," John Gilbert, Lead Director at YouGov Technology & Telecoms, said.
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These Australian Designers Are Changing The Textile Industry
TDF Design Awards
The Australian fashion and textile industry has endured some serious blows in recent years, but if the talent of the Textile Design finalists in the 2020 The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards is anything to go by, the future’s looking bright!
Not only are these local labels producing work that is visually stunning, with a strong focus on sustainable production, but several of these collections have also been developed in collaboration with First Nations creatives, with a clear commitment to ethical collaboration standards, and mutually beneficial outcomes.
Judging the category this year is surface pattern designer Cassie Byrnes, owner and textile designer of Melbourne-made label Variety Hour, and Luciana Wallis, design manager at Warwick Fabrics who has over 13 years experience in the local textile design industry.
Take a closer look at the finalist designs below, and stay tuned for the winner’s announcement later this year!


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Half a billion people will be using the Android operating system by 2015, according the analysts Inforna. The company also says that there will be more than one billion smartphone subscriptions by 2013.
“This growth will be driven by the ongoing competition between top tier manufacturers and challengers such as Google, RIM, Apple and Microsoft who are racing to create the best possible user experience at lower pricing points,” the company said.
Nokia will lose out most from the trend, according to principal analyst Malik Kamal-Saadi. “Informa expects that the market share of Symbian, from total smartphone users, to drop significantly from 53 per cent in 2009 to 32 per cent in 2015. In terms of sales, smartphones powered by Android are expected to surpass these of Symbian as early as 2012,” he said.
Mr Kamal-Saadi added, however, that Nokia will come under increasing pressure to change their strategy if innovation does not materialise on the Symbian platform. “If Nokia joins the Android party, the support of this ecosystem by all key players could help the mobile smartphone industry to potentially commoditise its software business much like what Microsoft did in the PC world,” he said. If Nokia continues in its current strategy, it would be addressing “niche markets”, Mr Kamal-Saadi concluded.


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However, the popularity of the sector is lower than it was a year ago, it said.
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The Campus Fund study evaluated 2,000 student-led startups across the country from July 2021 to December 2022.
CEO Richa Bajpai told ET that the sample base reflects 80-90% of student entrepreneurs in the country.
While around two-thirds of the student founders originated from medium resource colleges, only a third were from high-resource colleges, according to the report, and about 70% of the student-led startups operated in or from tier-1 cities.
Bengaluru accounted for 17.7% startups, down from 21% in the previous edition, followed by Delhi-National Capital Region (16.5%). Mumbai (11%), Hyderabad (3.5%) and Chennai (4.5%) had similar shares as in the previous edition.
According to an estimate, 54% of founders from tier-1 cities started their ventures after they had graduated from their respective degrees, whereas among founders starting up in non-tier-1 cities, 62% started out earlier, while still pursuing their degrees. “This reinforces the fact that more and more student founders are looking at starting up as a viable career opportunity,” said the report.
“Students, while starting up, should focus on the fundamentals and not just what is
fashionable. That is, what are the customer’s unmet or underserved needs, where is there inefficiency in how products or services are delivered today, what types of innovation (is needed) in tech and analytics,” Alok Kshirsagar, senior partner at McKinsey & Company, said in the report.
Bajpai told ET that edtech was most popular among the surveyed students because that is an area that the cohort most closely relates to, followed by healthcare. “We are seeing a lot of startups working in the areas of online tutoring, vernacular curriculum, upskilling and hobbies. Again, they still need to prove their business model,” she said.
Campus Fund invests anywhere from about Rs 83 lakh to Rs 8.3 crore in startups run by students and also offers mentorship and guidance on investing.
It is currently investing from its second fund, launched in July 2022, with a Rs 100 crore corpus. About 20% of its second fund stands deployed, in nine startups, said Bajpai. From its pilot Rs 7 crore fund, it had invested in a total of 10 startups earlier.
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The past year has tested the strength of the fitness industry, which lost more than 480,000 jobs due to the pandemic. Gyms are closing and the fitness pros that help us flex our ugliest #PROFACES - that ugly game face we all make when maxing out on the weight floor or on the field - are struggling. In tandem with its new Super Bowl ad which salutes these fierce #PROFACEs, Oikos PRO is launching Oikos PRO for Pros, a grant program, to help give independent fitness businesses and trainers the support and strength they need.
RLS Logistics, a national third-party logistics provider specializing in temperature-controlled logistics, announced their 2020 contribution total for their Pallets 4 Plates program. In 2020, through their program, 365,291 plates of food were supplied to charities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah, including Food Cowboy and the Food Bank of South Jersey. Also, equivalent cash contributions were made to Baker’s Club of Philadelphia, American Heart Association, Pink Clover Foundation, numerous local schools, and youth sports teams.
Concession stands and the stadium may be far from packed for the Big Game next week, but Farm Rich is reminding football fans why gameday experiences are often best enjoyed from the comforts of home anyways.
Sysco has purchased more than 21,000 gift cards providing a cash flow boost totaling more than $525,000 to support its restaurant customers across the United States. Each of these $25 gift cards were given to Sysco’s operations frontline associates in appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the company’s customers.
Cooking and preparing meals from home has increased 67% since COVID-19 began. After months of home-cooked meals, families are turning to prepared foods and easy prep meals as a way to save time and spice up their nightly dinner menus. In addition, 60% of home cooks report they rely on Instant Pots or similar appliances for their cooking routine for the simplicity, versatility, and convenience of making, flavorful meals with less cleanup.
Plant-based food brand Heura has made an in-kind donation to leading UK food charity Refettorio Felix to help provide nutritious plant-based meals to Londoners in need during January. The donation was made to celebrate Veganuary, the global challenge started in the United Kingdom that encourages people around the world to go vegan for the month of January. 400,000 people from 192 countries joined this initiative last year, and over one million people have taken part in the challenge since its inception.
Kevin’s Natural Foods, the only natural and health-focused refrigerated entrée brand in the nation, announced the company has experienced exponential growth during its first year of business. Empowering people to eat clean without sacrificing flavor, Kevin’s Natural Foods launched in the fall of 2019 and recorded $4.5 million in sales during its first quarter. Since its inception, the Northern California-based wellness brand has expanded rapidly, adding 6,000 retail locations nationwide in only 12 months. Experiencing a 460% revenue increase in 2020, the company projects to close out the year with $48 million in sales—thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic changing what, how and where consumers are eating.
Coconut Bliss, maker of plant-based frozen desserts, announces the launch of their first ever at-home ice cream machine, the Bliss Maker. The development of the Bliss Maker was a direct response to a growing consumer interest for at-home experiences amidst the pandemic. Along with the Bliss Maker, the brand unveiled two Coconut Bliss soft serve mixes, Dark Chocolate and Madagascan Vanilla, that provide consumers the same quality ingredients, creamy texture, and "OMG it's vegan?" taste, from the comfort of their own homes.


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Nov 18 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on The New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
- Gawker.com, a site that pioneered the knowing, irreverent tone that has come to define web journalism, will switch from covering New York and media, as it has done since its founding in 2003, to focus on politics, according to a memo sent to the staff on Tuesday. (nyti.ms/1Ll1bhj)
- Martha Stewart has ditched eBay Inc, taking her American Made store to Amazon.com Inc's Handmade marketplace, as the e-commerce giant flexes its muscle in the burgeoning online market for handcrafted goods. (nyti.ms/1Ll1ite)
- Greece and its international creditors said on Tuesday they reached an agreement on the country's next round of economic changes, a deal that is meant to unlock as much as 12 billion euros ($12.77 billion) in loan money. (nyti.ms/1Ll1kkN)
- Lyft, the ride-hailing start-up, is seeking to raise new capital, four people briefed on the round said, as Uber Technologies Inc, its larger rival, also ramps up conversations with investors about another private fund raising. (nyti.ms/1Ll1AAq)
- Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd said on Tuesday that it sent an offer letter to Norfolk Southern Corp, proposing a merger that would reshape the North American rail industry. (nyti.ms/1Ll1FEc) ($1 = 0.9395 euros) (Compiled by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru)


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In a world where everything is available everywhere, at any time, being very good is no longer good enough, according to retail consultant, podcaster and best-selling author Steve Dennis.
“You have to be truly remarkable. And, by remarkable, I mean kind of the common thing people think about it — different, unique, special,” Dennis, the founder of SageBerry Consulting, says on this episode of Retail Gets Real.
“But in particular … you literally have to give people something to talk about, to remark upon. That’s how you build a strong emotional connection with a customer.”
Dennis’ new book, “Remarkable Retail: How to Win and Keep Customers in the Age of Digital Disruption,” presents case studies of retail innovation over the last 30 years. One of the book’s major tenets is the dissolution of omnichannel. “There are very few cases where that one-size-fits-all, kind of spreading the peanut butter, makes sense,” he says. “I think the successful strategy is about showing up where it really matters in remarkable ways.”
He says retailers should focus on harmonization — creating a seamless retail experience, and hybridization — blending the digital and physical worlds to serve customers how they want to be served.
“The overriding issue is to really be channel-agnostic and think about it all as one branded experience,” he says. “I see plenty of retailers, that really have a compelling value proposition, that are investing in both their physical and digital capabilities, that are pursuing this more-hybrid approach.”
Listen to the full podcast to hear more about what remarkable retail looks like, Dennis’s career and what’s impacting the state of retail in 2023.
The retail industry impacts everyone, everywhere, every day.
NRF’s podcast features unfiltered, insightful conversations with the industry’s most interesting people. Hear retail executives, industry experts, entrepreneurs and influencers discuss trends, their career stories and the future of retail.


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Instagram users have been praising Jazzy, calling it brave and beautiful.
“You are truly inspirational girlfriend!” wrote one person. “Just goes to show that smiling and embracing what god gave you is all that matters! Love this!”
Another added, “Great pic!!! Keep loving yourself and each other!!!!”
Now she has went from being featured on doctor Phil to being featured on A Kodak Black Music Video
Bad thing is the song is actually good ha.
I think the media is taking her a little bit to far.
What do you think?
USA TODAY – The country’s bacon reserves are at the lowest levels in half a century. In other words, pig farmers can’t keep up with the world’s sizzling appetite for those fatty, smoky strips of sheer eating pleasure. The Ohio Pork Council, a Columbus-based non-profit, reported Tuesday that demand for frozen pork belly, frequently made more
Project Scorpio, the mysterious new Xbox One hardware iteration expected at the end of the year, is now ever so slightly less mysterious. Digital Foundry got its hands on a new Microsoft document, which it has verified with Xbox developer sources, which gives some clues as to Project Scorpio’s innards. According to the leaked document, more


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An interesting new legislation passed in Romania states that any unauthorized company using the EU Ecolabel will be subject to a 5,000 – 10,000 lei fine. This is the equivalent of $1,600-$3,200 CDN for each offense.
Romania is one of the first governments to actively enforce the use of verifiable ecolabels. The United States Department of Agriculture also levies fines of up to $11,000 USD for companies that mislabel products as ‘organic’. These initiatives are excellent first steps in enforcing a growing sector that is difficult to police, and may encourage more governments to do the same.
Currently the greatest threat to deceitful green-businesses and ecolabels is the loss of reputation that occurs when the public discovers they are not, in fact, eco-friendly at all. However, recent lawsuits against SC Johnson and a number of personal care product manufacturers reveal that consumers and environmental groups are using the courts in an effort to make businesses pay for their dishonesty with more than a loss of public standing.
As more companies are fined by governments or sued by consumers for misleading eco-marketing, a more comprehensive legal framework will be established through case law, and potentially through policy, to enforce such claims.
It will be interesting to see if more countries follow in the path of Romania via direct regulation, or rely on the outcomes of lawsuits to establish the future of ecolabelling law.


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Analysis - Coca-Cola Co better placed than PepsiCo as CSD spotlight hots-up
CLSA believe beverage firms will have to permanently switch to a higher price model
The soft drinks industry was successful in fighting off a ban on large sugary drinks in New York City this week. But, companies are facing an increasing battle as the debate around obesity, and the part beverage firms have to play, intensifies in the US.
CLSA analyst Caroline Levy said in a note today (14 March) that firms must follow brewers in switching to a higher price model.
“We believe the current regulatory environment, (with) government going after sugared drinks, requires beverage companies to permanently shift focus to higher price/mix,” the note said.
Levy said that Coca-Cola has the “upper-hand” over PepsiCo due to its its “superior brand-building activities over the past five years and longer in most countries”.
She added: “Coca Cola should be very focused on awarding territory to operators with this expertise. PepsiCo’s challenge will be a lack of options for refranchising, unless perhaps it can link up with another system, like beer.”
This month, Ray Rowlands of Drinksinfo Ltd casts his eye over Habu, the latest soft drinks launch from The Coca-Cola Co in Thailand....
The Coca-Cola Co (TCCC) is the leading player in both soft drinks and in HW soft drinks. The company’s strength is based on its diversity of category presence from HW carbonates to RTD tea and bottled...
The Coca-Cola Company slightly underperformed the world’s soft drinks market amid the recession in Western Europe and slow economic recovery in the US. It is actively expanding in low calorie carbonat...
Ranked sixth in hot drinks in 2012, the company has a strong presence in other hot drinks, in particular in chocolate-based flavoured powder drinks under the Toddy brand. Competing for the same target...
PepsiCo China Ltd is seeking sustainable growth by enhancing brand awareness around the world and bringing innovative products to the marketplace....
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- Remy posts Q1 sales drop as Edrington loss bites


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While Apple is still looking at pilots and going into pre-production, AT&T is licking its chops at what it can do with its newly-acquired Time Warner media division. Verizon, however, is sunsetting its first attempt at original media.
VARIETY reports that the telecom’s go90 streaming service will be nixed on July 31. In addition to original short-form series, the channel also contained licensed recorded and live content. All of that, however, was not able to sustain viewership and, thus, advertisers. go90 had 17 million unique viewers per month after the service was heavily promoted on the media sites of its parent company, Oath.
That’s not to say that Verizon will be left without major media deals: it has garnered big mobile streaming contracts with the NFL and NBA and will be able to center editorial content around games and sell ads against them.
Behind the scenes, the magazine reports that development of the backend has been stop-and-go. Verizon had acquired Intel’s OnCue team for a 2014 streaming media project that ended up being shelved. The acquired team crafted go90’s portal. In 2016, Verizon acquired monetized video-streaming service Vessel and shuttered its direct-to-consumer business. It laid off the former OnCue members and had the former Vessel work on go90 instead.
The fates of go90 employees as well as the series that have appeared on the platform are uncertain, though it looks like another large round of pink slips will be issued.


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Analysis of beer market in China (on Russian)
Beer market of Ukraine: big three losing weightIn 2016, fast increase of excises and resulting price spike stood in the way of the beer market stabilization. Most of competition (as well as mass sorts) moved to the economy segment of the market. The biggest losses were incurred by the leading three, especially Obolon, which again experienced pressure after reallocation of Efes market share. However, one should already speak of TOP-4. Group Oasis CIS (PPB) became a strong player and competitor to transnational companies. Besides the net sales of many regional medium breweries look rather good and 16-fold cost reduction wholesale trade license for craft brewers opens up a possibility of rapid growth in 2017.
Analysis of beer market in China
China’s transition to a “new normal” reality backfired on the brewing industry unexpectedly. Stagnation and subsequent market decline resulted from dynamic social and economic changes. There has emerged a “two speed” market where the medium class significance is growing, yet the share of main beer consumers, “blue collar” is decreasing. Also the inflow of consumers is shrinking, as demographics stopped being a growth driver. Finally, beer is giving way to other alcohol drinks....
India. Kaama looks to double sales of craft beer Witlinger
"We introduced the Witlinger beer in Delhi in 2014 in the draught form. It was launched in the bottled form since April 2016 and for this FY, we expect to sell 1.5 lakh cases across the region of our presence," Anuj Kushwah, managing director and founder of Kaama Impex Private, told reporters in Panaji on Thursday.
He said the company is looking at a sale of 3 lakh cases during FY18 and expecting to double growth with expansion of markets.
Claiming that the Witlinger is a premium segment beer that is not for masses but for classes, Kushwah said the company, after Delhi and Goa, plans to reach out to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune and Chandigarh markets in a strategic manner by the end of 2016.
"We are looking to capture 30 per cent of the premium beer segment," he said, adding that the company owns the brand Witlinger, which is brewed in the UK.
"Indian premium beer industry is set to grow at 30 per cent year on year and craft beer will share the biggest chunk of this growth," he further informed.
The company, which has presence in Goa, expects to sell 30,000 cases by March 2017, capturing 80 per cent of the state's premium beer market segment.
7 Oct. 2016


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US PC maker Dell unveils first dividend of 8 US cents a share
September 8, 2012, 12:03 am TWN
NEW YORK -- Struggling computer maker Dell announced its first quarterly dividend Thursday, following through on a pledge to use up some of its cash stockpile to boost shareholder value.
Dell said it would pay a cash dividend of 8 cents per share on Oct. 22.
"This is the first cash dividend paid to shareholders in the company's history," the company said in a statement.
"The payment of a quarterly cash dividend is intended to help contribute to long-term shareholder value," Brian Gladden, Dell chief financial officer, said.
Founded in 1984, Dell Computer Corporation went public in 1988.
Michael Dell, the firm's founder, chairman and chief executive, announced in June that in view of the PC maker's cash position and a shift to a more diversified business model, "we feel confident this is a great time to return this capital to shareholders now in perpetuity."
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It was one of the most talked about looks at the Met Gala 2019, and now Kim Kardashian is shedding new light on her Thierry Mugler dress.
In an upcoming clip from Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the mother-of-four revealed that her dress was so tight, she wasn’t able to go to the bathroom while wearing it.
“If I have to pee, it’s a problem," Kardashian shared ahead of the event.
"Honestly, if it’s an emergency, I think I pee my pants and then have my sister wipe my leg up,” she added. “I’m not even joking. She can wipe my leg up."
However, it wasn’t just bathroom break stress that Kim had to deal with on the night of the event - her one-of-a-kind corseted creation was so tight, it left her in physical pain.
"I have never felt pain like that in my life," Kardashian revealed. “Not only is this silicone [and] 500 hours of beading and making, but every little piece is itchy on the inside. It’s pokey. So it pokes me.”
On the red carpet, Kim's poker face didn't allude to any of the concerns she voiced prior to the event, a feat in itself - and proof that her dedication to fashion knows no bounds.
Full fashion marks all round.


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Cork City have issued a hilarious response to Snickers' recent publicity stunt.
Residents of Turner's Cross were left confused a fortnight ago when a billboard showed up outside Cork City's stadium which read 'Nuts About Dundalk'.
It was part of an advertising campaign which saw the marketing team in charge of boosting Snickers sales in this country target SSE Airtricity League of Ireland rivalries.
And given the fierce rivalry between Cork City and Dundalk FC, it was a jibe that hit home for plenty of City supporters.
While Snickers sent a goodwill parcel to Turner's Cross in an attempt to make things right, those behind the scenes at City had no interest in accepting the apology.
And on Tuesday afternoon, the Rebel Army responded in brilliant fashion by unceremoniously dumping the case of Snickers on video.
Instead, City pledged their chocolate loyalties to Cadbury Dairy Milk, a rival brand of the Mars-produced Snickers.
This feud looks set to run and run but one thing's for sure, the admins in charge of Cork City's social media accounts deserve a hefty raise.


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Starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Thom Mathews, Don Calfa, Linnea Quigley Directed by Dan O'Bannon Distributed by Second Sight
Dan O’Bannon’s The Return of the Living Dead will have a brand new special edition release on both Blu-ray and double-DVD this June 4th. To celebrate, courtesy of distributors Second Sight we have two copies of the DVD to give away! Send more entries…
The San Diego Reader's Jay Allen Sanford is back with another batch of unused artwork for some of Hollywood's biggest (and littlest) flicks, and while this latest treasure trove of goodies is light on horror, it does reveal a little known factoid that you may have been completely unaware of.
The folks wheeling and dealing at the 2011 EFM couldn't care less that it's the weekend as evidenced by the news that director Stuart Gordon and his Re-Animator producer Brian Yuzna are in pre-production on The Men.
Dread Central was pointed in the direction of a new official website that celebrates the genius of the late Dan O'Bannon today, and there's no better place to celebrate the man's legacy.
2009 has been mired in death. We lost a lot of icons over the past few months, and it's with a heavy heart that we report we've just lost another one. Dan O'Bannon, age 63, is no longer with us.


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Kim Kardashian has revealed the secret to her noteworthy hourglass figure: Waist-Training.
Peruse any of the thousands of fitness-inspired pages prominently featured on Instagram and you’ll likely find that the waist-cinching workout corsets have become as big a gym staple as heart-rate monitors and yoga pants. It appears Mrs. Kanye West has hopped on the bandwagon, just weeks after the socialite complained about struggling to shed the last 15-20 pounds of weight she gained while pregnant with daughter North 13 months ago.
On Wednesday evening, Kim shared a photo of her newly-reshaped body with her Instagram followers, showcasing a unmistakably tiny waist. She captioned the now viral post:
“#hourglass #waisttraining #nophotoshopnecessary #whatawaist.com”
Kim was wearing “What a Waist” — a corset-training device which retails for $143.50. A description of the product claims that “wearing waist training garments over a long period of time can change your body shape, and not just while you’re actually wearing the corset. Permanent changes are possible. In fact, for some people a long-term change.” Word on the Curb has it that Kim often sleeps in the garment to ensure optimum results.
And Kim isn’t the only member of the Kardashian klan getting a little help as she works to become a real-life incarnation of Jessica Rabbit. Her sister, Khloe Kardashian, posted a photo of herself wearing a What-a-Waist device last spring. In a May posting to Instagram, she wrote:
“I love my waist trainer. Who doesn’t love to feel tight and right?!? #whatawaist #waistgang #Fitness #GetItRight.”


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Google's Pixel phones are picking up a new photography skill and also getting smarter, thanks to new features rolled out by Google as part of its June update. The update also includes a promised change from last month's Google I/O event aimed at boosting the phone's privacy features.
For photographers, the highlight of the June Pixel feature drop will be an expansion to the Google phone's astrophotography features. Introduced with the Pixel 4 back in 2019, astrophotography lets you take clear pictures of the night sky. With this latest update, you'll be able to also create videos of stars moving across the sky during the same exposure.
- Here's what the Google Pixel 6 needs to do to beat the iPhone 13
- These are the best camera phones
- Plus: Massive internet outage hits Amazon, Reddit and more — what happened?
According to Google, when you take a photo in Night Sight, your Pixel will save both the still image and the video onto your camera roll. The feature's no surprise — the latest Google Pixel Tips app update included code pointing to astrophotography improvements. It will be available on the Pixel 4 and newer models.
As for improved smarts, Google is adding a feature to its Digital Wellbeing tools that could reduce your chances of walking into someone or some thing when you're moving about while also looking at your phone screen. Dubbed Heads Up, the new feature allows your Pixel to detect when you're walking and send periodic reminders to look up from your screen. Whether you listen is up to you.
Other improvements to the Pixel phone's smarts include the ability to answer or reject calls via voice commands to the Google Assistant. ("Hey Google, answer call" or "Hey Google, reject call" should do the trick.) Gboard gets improvements to where you can copy text that includes contact info like a phone number, email address or URL, and snippets will appear in the clipboard for easy pasting in other apps.
At Google I/O, the software giant announced it would be bringing a Locked Folder feature to Google Photos where you could store images that you didn't want to include in Shared Albums. That feature's now live, Google says.
Additionally, the Pixel feature drops brings car crash detection to Spain, Ireland and Singapore, after the feature had already been available in the U.S., UK and Australia. Call screening features are now available in Japan, while Google's recorder app now supports more English dialects. For Pride month celebrations, Google's added wallpapers and ringtones to mark the occasion.
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Google's latest feature drop comes just before Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference is about to begin, featuring a preview of the new features coming in this year's iOS 15 update. It's not too cynical to suggest that the timing isn't exactly coincidental. Think of this as Google's way of throwing down a marker to show that its phones are still adding features to compete with Apple's iPhone.
Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.


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Ultimaker, a leading 3D printer manufacturer, has partnered with the University of Illinois, and Coursera, an education platform that offers online courses from top universities and organizations worldwide, to create a series of 3D printing courses that will be open to learners around the world.
(AMSTERDAM) ¬- Ultimaker, a leading 3D printer manufacturer, has partnered with the University of Illinois, and Coursera, an education platform that offers online courses from top universities and organizations worldwide, to create a series of 3D printing courses that will be open to learners around the world. Through four cohesive courses and a hands-on capstone, learners will be able to earn an online specialization from Coursera in 3D printing. The courses include:
• An examination of 3D Printings applications across a variety of industries
• An in-depth exploration of 3D design software
• An investigation of how 3D printers are made and how they operate
"The University of Illinois and the Illinois MakerLab are delighted to be partnering with Ultimaker on this innovative new online program on 3D printing," says Aric Rindfleisch, executive director of the Illinois MakerLab, the worlds first 3D printing lab in a business school. "Ultimaker is one of the worlds leading providers of desktop 3D printers. Thus, our learners will have the privilege of learning from not only leading academics but also leading practitioners in the 3D printing space."
This educational collaboration is just one aspect of a new strategic partnership between Ultimaker and the University of Illinois. In addition to this Coursera initiative, Ultimaker also helped equip the Illinois MakerLab with 17 new Ultimaker 3D Printers. In recognition of this partnership, the Illinois MakerLab has introduced "Free Print Wednesdays," sponsored by Ultimaker, to give their students the opportunity to experience 3D printing and bring their own ideas to life.
"Ultimakers vision is to make 3D printing accessible to all and has been reflected in our open source printers and community inspired collaborations," says Siert Wijnia, CTO and founder of Ultimaker. "With Coursera and the Illinois MakerLab, we are helping to optimize 3D printing courses that are available to everyone interested in digital making with our hands-on knowledge of 3D printing."
From the very beginning Ultimakers vision has been to make 3D printing accessible to all. It is why all their desktop printers are extremely quiet, fast, accurate, reliable and effortless to use. Such a commitment has seen them embraced both by professionals and novices alike. This has also helped them to become one of the most successful and reliable open source 3D printing companies in the world. Most recently, the company was awarded best in Best Large Format 2016 in the established Make Magazine and the editors choice by Digital Trends. To learn more about Ultimaker, visit: https://ultimaker.com/.


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When Nike announced it was shutting down its FuelBand division and exiting the hardware business, many speculated that the company would be teaming up with Apple for the long-awaited iWatch.
Nike didn’t exactly do much to cool the rumors either — issuing a statement that claimed the two companies would “continue to partner on emerging technologies to create better solutions for all athletes.”
Now Nike Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker has poured more fuel on the fire, saying that sportswear company is committed to focusing on software, and is “excited” about its relationship with Apple.
That came during an interview on CNBC. Here’s a transcription of part of the exchange (you can see the full video below):
Parker: You’re going to continue to see us commit to this area, to focus on expanding the reach. Today we have about 30 million FuelBand users. We’re hoping to push that to over 100 million. We have partners that we work with. Obviously the most visible partner we have is Apple. We’ve been working with them for a long time. And we’re excited about where that relationship will go forward.
CNBC’s Sara Eisen: Well, can you give us a hint? Are we going to expect some sort of collaborative device coming out? Nike and Apple?
Parker: I can’t really say that. There’s been a lot of speculation, which I understand. I will just say the relationship between Nike and Apple will continue. And I am personally — as we all are at Nike — very excited about what’s to come.
There are several reasons a Nike/Apple partnership makes total sense. For one thing, Tim Cook links both companies by being CEO of Apple and having sat on the board of Nike for the past nine years. For another, Nike’s FuelBand works exclusively with iOS, essentially making it a glorified iOS peripheral.
Apple has hired former FuelBand employees, including Ben Shaffer — previously Nike’s Studio Director of the Innovation Kitchen, the division responsible for Nike’s wearable tech.
Do you want to see Nike be one of the key fitness-tracking developers for Apple’s iWatch? Drop us a line in the comments box below.


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Sumary of River Island embraces new technologies to manage its media assets:
- We are very excited to apply Cloudinary’s advanced AI-powered capabilities, which will accelerate our ability to release new products and improve the customer experience.
- River IslandSofia Richie Partnering with Cloudinary’s Media Experience Cloud solutions and its Digital Asset Management (DAM) will enable you to improve customer experience and visitor interaction.
- David Edwards, Director of Architecture for River Island, said: We are most excited about the future of our brand and our goal is to make our popular digital experience even stronger.
- River Island says it expects Cloudinary’s automation to significantly reduce the amount of manual work required to collaboratively manage media assets, including finding and sharing content.
- Strong digital performance is critical to River Island’s success, and a key factor in delivering the best possible online customer experience is getting new products to market faster.
- Hernandez Sebastian Hernandez Sebastian River Island is looking to modernize its digital media technologies and has engaged experienced cloud media management company Cloudinary to boost our user experience and shorten time to market.


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Like last year, Linkmedia 360 will participate at the 2016 ISS World Expo held in Las Vegas as one of the featured exhibitors! The annual event will take place from April 25th to the 28th at the Paris Hotel & Resort off the Vegas strip.
This year, Linkmedia 360 will be joining a sold-out show floor with 175 exhibitors! For the first time in years, the ISS World Expo has been completely sold out of exhibitor space! Not only will Linkmedia 360 be exhibiting at the show, but we will also be speaking at this year’s educational event.
Join us on Wednesday, April 27 at 9 a.m. PST for the Advanced Marketing Track session as Barbara Le, Senior Digital Marketing Strategist, discusses ways to maximize online conversions with a location-landing page strategy. We’ll highlight items that make a great landing page, share important user-experience elements, and review practical tactics that can quickly convert a website visitor to a tenant.
Can’t make it to the educational session? Not a problem, visit us anytime during the show at our exhibitor booth, #603 to talk shop or learn how to get a free digital marketing evaluation that increases your self-storage facility occupancy rate.
We look forward to meeting you at the show!


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Startup Stormpath makes its debut today with an identity and access-control cloud-based service primarily intended for use by software development teams that are building web applications.
security startups - News, Features, and Slideshows
Nok Nok Labs officially opened its doors today to introduce client/server-based technology proposed as an innovative foundation for flexible, strong multi-factor security that can be used in e-commerce, Web services or the enterprise.
Despite security concerns, businesses are growing more confident in adopting cloud-based services, and in addition are investing more in corporate mobile devices while also allowing employees to use their own in bring-your-own-device mode at work. So it's not surprising that recent security startups are zeroing in on things such as encrypting data held in the cloud or how to safeguard corporate data on BYOD devices.


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In a statement authored by senior analyst Varun Mishra, Counterpoint said OPPO's market share had touched 21% in January, with its sales growing 33% month-on-month and 26% year-on-year.
OPPO was followed by its stablemate vivo (20%) and Huawei, Apple and Xiaomi (all taking 16%), the company said. B.B.K. also owns the OnePlus brand, while it has a share in another fast-growing brand, realme.
Mishra commented: "OPPO has been successfully able to reposition its product lines in 2020. The rebranding of the Reno series and launching a more capable device at a lower price point than its predecessor helped OPPO capture the affordable premium segment.
Mishra said Huawei, along with its budget brand Honor — which was sold in November — had been steadily losing share in the Chinese market due to component shortages as a result of American sanctions.
He pointed out that Huawei's inventory for key components had been decreasing. The company was unable to source parts for 5G models and had reduced the number of launches, Mishra said, adding that more than 65% of devices being currently sold in China were 5G-capable.
"To make the most of its depleting inventory of components, Huawei has shifted its focus more towards the premium segment, only selling products with higher margins," the statement said. "This has further left a gap in the mid segment of the market.
"Due to insufficient supplies, the distributors in China are also scaling down their Huawei operations and shifting to other brands. OPPO’s growth was in part also driven by Huawei’s decline, a trend that also benefitted Xiaomi and vivo.
"Xiaomi is benefitting the most from the decline in Huawei’s online share, while OPPO and vivo have been capturing the offline segment. At its peak, Huawei had more than 10,000 retail and experience stores across China. This number has been decreasing since Q4 2020."
Mishra said OPPO's Reno 5 series — the Reno 5, Reno 5 Pro and Reno 5 Pro+ — had been its top performer since a rebranding exercise.
Apart from having a better camera, screen, chipset, charging standards and 5G capability, the price of the Reno 5 was also lower than that of its predecessor.


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On Sunday, President Donald Trump tweeted approvingly about the 10-day-old news that his 25% tariffs on Chinese-made automobiles had led Ford f to decide against importing its compact Ford Focus Active model to the U.S. from the Chinese factories where the car is made.
“This is just the beginning. This car can now be BUILT IN THE U.S.A. and Ford will pay no tariffs!” Trump exulted.
“Ford has abruptly killed a plan to sell a Chinese-made small vehicle in the U.S. because of the prospect of higher U.S. Tariffs.” CNBC. This is just the beginning. This car can now be BUILT IN THE U.S.A. and Ford will pay no tariffs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2018
One problem: That’s not going to happen.
Ford’s North America product communications manager, Mike Levine, spelled it out for the president in a tweet noting “it would not be profitable to build the Focus Active in the U.S. given an expected annual sales volume of fewer than 50,000 units and its competitive segment.”
It would not be profitable to build the Focus Active in the U.S. given an expected annual sales volume of fewer than 50,000 units and its competitive segment.
Ford is proud to employ more U.S. hourly workers and build more vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker.
— Mike Levine (@mrlevine) September 9, 2018
Ford didn’t move production of the Focus to China by accident; it did so because the U.S. market has shifted away from smaller vehicles toward SUVs, which has made production of the Focus in the U.S.—a relatively expensive location—an illogical choice.
The automaker decided a couple years back to shift production of the Focus to Mexico, then last year it opted for China instead. Earlier this year Ford cancelled all its smaller cars with the exception of the Mustang and the Focus Active.
Check out the all-new Focus Active, recently introduced in Europe. Headed to the U.S. next year. pic.twitter.com/641SiQYR0f
— Mike Levine (@mrlevine) April 25, 2018
Then, after Trump started threatening his new tariffs against China, Ford decided in August that it wouldn’t sell the Focus Active in the U.S. after all. The profit margins were simply too small to be worth it.
The auto-sector market economist Jon Gabrielsen told the Detroit Free Press that Trump’s tweet was “further evidence that neither the president nor his trade representatives have any clue of the complexities of global supply chains.”
“This forces Ford to forfeit the sales they would have had if they could continue to import that low-volume niche vehicle,” Gabrielsen said.


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Apple’s iOS 8 seems to be catching on at least a little more with users. As measured by the App Store yesterday on Monday, Feb. 2, 72 percent of devices were running iOS 8 with 25 percent using iOS 7. Only 3 percent of users were running an earlier version of iOS.
Those numbers were just posted to the Apple Developer Center support page.
That’s a 3 percent jump compared to the last check, which was in mid-January. After the busy holiday season, iOS 8 usage jumped from 64 to 68 percent. But those numbers trailed off during January, only seeing a 1 percent increase from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19.
One possible reason for the nice increase during the last two-week period was the introduction iOS 8.1.3, which arrived last week.
While only listed as a minor update, the software did contain a notable improvement. It reduced the amount of storage space needed on a device required to perform a software update.
The large amount of space needed on a device required to perform an over-the-air upgrade has been one theory on why iOS 8 adoption has been behind the curve. Even though you can upgrade via iTunes without needing any extra space, many users are more familiar with the over-the-air upgrade path.
Did iOS 8.1.3 finally get you to make the upgrade?
The next major version of iOS, version 8.2, has gone through a number of beta versions for registered developers. A report earlier today said it should arrive in March. And since that edition will be required to use Apple Watch, it could also help increase those adoption numbers.
Even so, that’s still pretty far behind the adoption rate of iOS 7. During the same timeframe in 2014, 85 percent of devices were running the latest version of iOS.
For other recent news, see: AppAdvice Daily: The best new apps and get Tubio for free, Realmac’s Typed is going from writing app to blogging platform in a new Indiegogo project, and Should you pull the plug on iPhoto for Mac?


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Once a while we will see someone made the biggest cake to share with hundred of people, but how big a person can handle with a burger? Brad Sciullo managed to finish 15 pounds (6.8kg) cheese burger at Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, Pennsylvania recently.
From official website, it appears that the pub is well-known of its burger challenge. It even has 100+ pounds (45kg) burger priced at $379.95 (RM 1370). The 15 pounds is priced at $49.95 (RM 180) and is called “Beer Barrel Belly Buster“. Don’t play play.


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Hotels, airlines, and online travel agencies take note: if you do not have iOS and Android apps already, or a web presence optimized for those devices, a segment of travelers is passing you over. Fully 51% of smart phone owners get their travel information on those devices. The data comes from comScore, the digital measurement provider, from its Travel Advisor report. Nearly one in five smart phone owners used the phones to book air travel and hotel reservations. But booking is only part of the picture, said Mark Donovan, comScore’s SVP of mobile research, who called the phones an “essential companion for travelers.”
“Smart phones have really stepped in to meet a variety of needs for travelers, such as coordination of schedules, locations, trip itineraries and transactions. With more than half of all smartphone users now engaging with travel content, there has never been a better opportunity for suppliers and [online travel agencies] OTAs to invest in their mobile strategies to provide a great experience and win loyalty from their customers.”
Who They Are and What They Want
Compared to the average smartphone owner, the mobile traveler fits the early-technology-adopter demographic of being younger and male. About 62% of mobile travelers are male, and more than three quarters of them between 18 and 44. About half of them reside in households earning $75,000 plus.
“Both OTAs and suppliers need to understand the demographic and behavioral characteristics of these mobile travelers,” said Donovan, to meet them online. “Failure to develop a strong mobile presence could result in unsatisfied customers and lost opportunities to convert new audiences, leaving brands vulnerable to competitors who adapt more quickly to addressing consumers’ shifting consumption habits.” And those habits are overwhelmingly digital.
"Pocket Travel Agents"
Of that 51% of travelers who accessed air and/or hotel content on smart phones during the three month period ending in February 2012, 4 in every 5 of them accessed both air and hotel content.
The most popular air travel-related mobile activity was checking airfare prices, which 26 percent of smart phone users engaged. Smartphone users were nearly as likely to look up an airline phone number, flight schedules, and check a flight’s status, each of which was conducted by about one fourth of the audience.
They were not just seeking information: about 21% checked in for a flight, 18% booked a flight and 10% cancelled a flight. Another 18% used the smart phones to book a hotel room, and 20% used them to compare hotel prices and availability.
The uptake: the mobile traveler is young, has money, and looks on a smart phone first to research and book travel. They may wander over to a tablet or a desktop computer to do the same—but why give them the chance?